Living Organ Donation and Paired Donor Kidney Exchange

Living Donors Fill Gap in Organ Donation

Currently, more than 123,000 men, women and children are awaiting organ
transplants in the United States. For specific numbers visit
unos.org. The good news is that the pool of organ donors doesn’t only include
the deceased. In recent years, the number of living donors has increased
across the country. The organ most commonly given by a living donor is
the kidney. Parts of other organs — including the lung, liver, and
pancreas — are also transplantable. The kidney and pancreas transplant
program at Methodist Dallas Medical Center has had a living donor program
since 1982 and has seen almost 300 living donor procedures.

Donating a Kidney

Almost 300 living donor laparoscopic nephrectomies (kidney donation surgeries)
have been performed at The Transplant Institute at Methodist Dallas. The
Transplant Institute at Methodist Dallas was the
first program in Texas to perform a successful laparoscopic donor nephrectomy.

Kidney donation information

After donating a kidney, a person can live a long and healthy life

The remaining kidney will grow to take over the work of both kidneys

Blood relatives make the best living donors because their blood and tissue
is similar to the recipients

Most organ donors today are not blood relatives

Generally, the kidney recipient’s insurance will pay for the cost
of this procedure

Donating a kidney to a loved one is a sacrifice and a gift at the same
time. If you would like a videotape or more information about living kidney
donation, paired donor kidney exchange, or other issues regarding organ
donation, call our office at
214-947-1800 or 1-800-284-2185.

If you or someone you know would like to be an organ donor,
contact The Transplant Institute at Methodist Dallas to discuss this option.

Watch the Agee family's story of paired donor kidney exchange:

Living kidney donor requirements

Must be in very good health

Must have two normal kidneys

Must complete donor health history, physical exam, and testing

Generally cannot have any medical conditions or significant risk factors
that would make donating a kidney unwise

Expenses for time off from work, childcare, transportation, or lodging
are generally not paid by insurance

There are risks to being a living kidney donor just as there are risks
for any surgery. The donor will undergo a rigorous and complete medical
evaluation to ensure donating a kidney would be safe. Education is provided
and all questions are answered. The surgery is scheduled at the donor’s
convenience and generally the donor can return to work in two to four weeks.

Laparoscopic donor nephrectomy — an easier way to donate a kidney

Thanks to laparoscopic donor nephrectomy, donating a kidney is easier and
faster to recover from, than ever. This technique was created in 1998
at Johns Hopkins Medical Center and the University of Maryland. In 1999,
Dr. Richard Dickerman an independently practicing physician on the medical
staff at Methodist Dallas Medical Center performed the first successful
living donor laparoscopic nephrectomy in Texas.

How does kidney donation work? To get to the kidney, surgeons create four tiny “ports,” or
puncture wounds in the abdomen. Typically, these ports are made near the
belly button, to the left of the belly button and in the upper abdomen.
The surgeons use thin instruments inserted through these ports to retrieve
the donor’s kidney and close off blood vessels in the abdomen.

Why is this better for the donor? This procedure takes about an hour longer than the traditional process,
but it causes less pain and allows for a faster recovery. Donors can usually
go home in two days and return to work in two to four weeks. With older
methods, donors had to stay in the hospital for five to seven days and
often missed work for six to eight weeks.

Are more people willing to donate due to this process? Many kidney transplant centers have seen increases in living donors since
introducing this procedure. In 2003 living donation surpassed deceased
donor organ transplant for the first time in the history of transplantation.
This phenomenon is due to the success of laparoscopic donor nephrectomy.

Texas law prohibits hospitals from practicing medicine. The physicians
on the Methodist Health System medical staff are independent practitioners
who are not employees or agents of
Methodist Dallas Medical Center, Methodist Health System, or any of its affiliated hospitals.

Methodist Medical Group is owned and operated by MedHealth and staffed by independently practicing physicians who are employees of MedHealth. The physicians and staff who provide service at this site are not employees or agents of Methodist Health System or any of it's affiliated hospitals.

Methodist Medical Group is owned and operated by MedHealth and staffed
by independently practicing physicians who are employees of MedHealth.
The physicians and staff who provide services at this site are not employees
or agents of Methodist Health System or any of its affiliated hospitals.